A boot is a type of footwear that encases both the foot and a portion of the lower leg of a user. Boots are generally manufactured for a particular purpose or activity and therefore are designed to include characteristics consistent with the intended purpose. For example, a hiking boot is designed to support the ankle of a user while minimizing the overall weight. Likewise, a ski boot is designed to maximize a user's performance at a particular skiing activity.
Boots generally include a shell, a compression system, and a sole. The shell and compression system operate to encase and support the foot and lower leg of a user. Various well-known shell and compression systems are utilized to allow users to insert and remove their feet in an open boot configuration and compress the shell around the foot in a closed boot configuration. The sole of a boot is disposed on the bottom surface of the shell. The sole is generally composed of a rubber or plastic material. The sole may consist of a single piece or multiple blocks. The stiffness and/or weight characteristics of the sole have an effect on the overall performance of the boot.
Existing boot systems often include some form of articulation system coupling portions of the shell together to allow for selectable articulation to facilitate sufficient walking/skinning performance in addition to optimal skiing performance. These articulation systems are generally switchable between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration. The locked configuration corresponds to supporting the shell components to facilitate optimal skiing characteristics. The unlocked configuration corresponds to enabling desired movement between the shell components to facilitate optimal walking and/or skinning. Unfortunately, these existing articulation systems often fail to properly provide support in the locked configuration and often cause undesirable vibrations due to the dimensional freedom necessary to provide the unlocked configuration.
Therefore, there is a need in the industry for a boot articulation system that provides desired support characteristics in the locked configuration and provides the necessary articulation in the unlocked configuration.